[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Stat Brother]

...

 

[Stat Brother]

Acid test for me today:-
Do I maintain my rekindled commitment to cycling, and go for a spin after work?
or
Do I lay on the sofa, watch True Detective while scratching myself?


Enough of this flim-flam, t'is the start of the Spring Classics next.
Cycling back where it belongs, on my telly!!

Does anyone know if the Strade Bianche will be on TV?
For a race I know little about, it does look like an excellent ride, perfect for Cadel during his sweet spot:-

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

How many people signed up to the Puncheur in the end?

I'm nervously checking the weather now with less than a week to go. Fingers crossed for one of the calmer days amidst all the windy stuff...

 

[Stat Brother]

Having listened to the latest Humans Invent Cycling Podcast, it would seem we are back to our old tricks.

Once again the 'geeks' are ahead of the curve as the podcast boys, really got stuck into Andy Schleck.

It was quite an interesting section early on as they alluded to, but wouldn't fully commit, to the cleanliness of cycling training and form.
Then they got bogged down with the latest UCI 'truth and reconciliation' panel.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

How many people signed up to the Puncheur in the end?

I'm nervously checking the weather now with less than a week to go. Fingers crossed for one of the calmer days amidst all the windy stuff...

I did, and [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION], and I think [MENTION=11738]Spreadbetting Seagull[/MENTION] did too.

I'm quite looking forward to it, but not expecting too much - training has been tough in the conditions we have had to put up with. Maybe see you on the day!

 

[banjo]

Got out today at last and had a spin beautiful day for it.

 

[Hamilton]

How many people signed up to the Puncheur in the end?

I'm nervously checking the weather now with less than a week to go. Fingers crossed for one of the calmer days amidst all the windy stuff...

I did 40 odd miles at the weekend across some of the puncheur terrain. It was tough. I'm certainly not going to be gunning for a gold time. More focused on getting around and enjoying it. As [MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION] says, there's been little time to do any decent prep given the weather.

Rule V and take it easy.

 

[Stat Brother]

'Take it easy' - That's a sin bin offence.

In it to win it!!

I did a lumpy 20 miles after work, hard not to as I must have seen 20+ roadies out today, while on delivery.
Riding after a 4 hour deliver is certainly a lot harder than it used to be.
I've pretty much cleaned the house out of food.
The fact that I've just demolished a dairylea dunker tells me there's nothing left.

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

I did, and [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION], and I think [MENTION=11738]Spreadbetting Seagull[/MENTION] did too.

I'm quite looking forward to it, but not expecting too much - training has been tough in the conditions we have had to put up with. Maybe see you on the day!

I did 40 odd miles at the weekend across some of the puncheur terrain. It was tough. I'm certainly not going to be gunning for a gold time. More focused on getting around and enjoying it. As [MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION] says, there's been little time to do any decent prep given the weather.

Rule V and take it easy.

Glad to hear there's a few involved again.

Me and my "team" have committed to a gold attempt on our blog this year so I guess we have to try and back that up!
I'm currently on 750km for the year (probably only about 300km outdoors) but my biggest concern is that I haven't done anything of Puncheur distance yet this season.

Good luck guys and hopefully it will be the start of us all getting outdoors much more from now on...

 

[Stat Brother]

I've just seen our favourite UK car manufacturers name pop up as a thread 'last post'.

He doesn't seem to want to speak with his new friends anymore, and that makes me :sad:
Was it something we said?

 

[1066familyman]

Does anyone know if the Strade Bianche will be on TV?
For a race I know little about, it does look like an excellent ride, perfect for Cadel during his sweet spot:-

I'm almost certain Strade Bianche was listed as live coverage on Eurosport on one of their trailers when I was watching either Oman or Andalusia recently.

I caught some coverage of it last season for the first time. From what I seem to remember of it:

- I was thinking how it looked like a Italian Paris -Roubaix.

- I think it was the my first discovery of Ulissi. I seem to remember him working with team mate Cunego then springing the surprise on everyone and winning the thing? I think Canc featured heavily too?

I'll check in a bit to see how well my memory is working.

Edit: Quick check on PCS http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Strade_Bianche_2013 tells me it was indeed a young Italian that came to the fore and Canc did feature (4th). By the size of the finishing field I think it could be a sort of Paris-Roubaix too. The young Italian was Moser and he did win it. Working with team mate Sagan though, not Cunego. Ulissi wasn't even it.

Summing up - if I was able to watch it, which I won't because I'll be at work, then I would. Bloody good race I reckon. Means the race of the white road or something like that I think.

 

[Jaguar_uk]

And yes cyclists are the modern scourge of society, mind that lorry

 

[Pogue Mahone]

​

And yes cyclists are the modern scourge of society, mind that lorry

Hello again sweetie, welcome back!

 

[Stat Brother]

And yes cyclists are the modern scourge of society, mind that lorry

:yay:, oh isn't it lovely to have him pop back.

I hope Bozza lets us keep him, I promise I'll look after this one.
I will go to Pet at Home this morning, get some food and chew toys.

 

[strings]

Got back in the saddle this morning - it was only the 4.8k journey to work, but it felt great to get out there. Since I bought my bike, I've had a run of bad luck - poor weather and then braking my fingers (leaving me unable to grip the handles or brake even after the cast had been taken off and with fingers that would have re-broken if I had fallen off). Now that I'm able to ride again, I'm planning on building up the distance and discovering what the Staffs countryside has to offer!

Good times. Although I'm not sure my colleagues appreciated the lycra tights...

 

[Pantani]

I see Velocast are trying to shake us down again. Now going to be £7.99 a month to listen to their podcasts! Good luck with that fellas, £3.99 a month gets you Eurosport where you can watch the actual races they are talking about. Netflix which they claim is their model is only £5.99 and you have access to virtually every movie and TV show ever. Or £7.99 to listen to two Scottish guys blather on about cycling

 

[Stat Brother]

I see Velocast are trying to shake us down again. Now going to be £7.99 a month to listen to their podcasts! Good luck with that fellas, £3.99 a month gets you Eurosport where you can watch the actual races they are talking about. Netflix which they claim is their model is only £5.99 and you have access to virtually every movie and TV show ever. Or £7.99 to listen to two Scottish guys blather on about cycling

I walked away from those idiots a long time ago.
Thinking about it, that would have been when they first started asking for money, and the postie one have left RM, in that January.
Straight after he'd trousered his Christmas tips!!
Not helped by them getting a semi every time they mentioned their 'clean peloton' campaign with Garmin's Big Johnny V.

I've made a couple of references to The Human Invent Cycling Podcast, it's very good and ...

...FREE!!

 

[Pantani]

I walked away from those idiots a long time ago.
Thinking about it, that would have been when they first started asking for money, and the postie one have left RM, in that January.
Straight after he'd trousered his Christmas tips!!
Not helped by them getting a semi every time they mentioned their 'clean peloton' campaign with Garmin's Big Johnny V.

I've made a couple of references to The Human Invent Cycling Podcast, it's very good and ...

...FREE!!

Agreed, I gave up on them for quite a while too. Started listening again at the start of the year, as I was excited by the start of the season and the early races do not get much (any) coverage elsewhere. If they charged something sensible though I would still consider it but how they have the gall to charge double what Eurosport do I do not know.

The Humans Invent podcast is vastly superior anyway, as it rarely features the self aggrandisement that is part and parcel (pun intended) of the Velocast. So that will be one cycling podcast for me from here on in.

 

[Stat Brother]

Typical luck today.

I did my longest ride, under clear blue skies, with the sun on my back.

I got passed by KLL at Long Furlong, then headed down the Angmering by-pass.

For those that don't know it (and why should you) it's the most barren stretch of road in Sussex.
Not a house, shop, hedge, tree, or even a bush for 2 miles, behind Worthing Rugby Club.
Although it does have one of the sweetest bits of tarmac very smooth, a fraction of a decline, and dead straight.

Anyhoo, I digress.

As I turned onto the by-pass I rode straight into a hailstorm, pretty much for the duration of the road.
The moment I hit the A259 all's good again.

Very very painful.

 

[Pantani]

Anyone staying up for the Worlds tonight? I'm considering it, will see how tired I feel in an hour or so.

You can now pick your team for the first of the Spring Classics, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, there are loads of 'classics' this year in the fantasy comp. Pretty exciting.